Wenatchee Becomes Largest U.S. Ferry To Go Electric After Historic Conversion

Vigor Marine Seattle, an American shipbuilding facility, has completed the hybrid-electric conversion of the ferry, Wenatchee. This makes the Wenatchee the largest passenger ferry in the United States to be converted to hybrid-electric power.

The Wenatchee, a Jumbo Mark II class ferry that can carry 202 vehicles, is one of the three largest ferries in the WSF fleet. It is expected to return to service on the Seattle–Bainbridge Island route in summer 2025, after final preparations at Eagle Harbor Shipyard and a review by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Sea trials and crew training are already underway.

The extensive conversion project lasted nearly 21 months and involved around 700 workers. Of these, nearly 600 were union-represented skilled tradespeople who carried out the core production work.

Vigor’s work on the vessel included the removal of two diesel generators and the construction of two new battery rooms that now house a total of 864 battery modules.

The team also installed new propulsion control systems, ran thousands of feet of new electric and fibre optic cables, and upgraded several onboard systems and passenger areas.

Company officials said the successful delivery of this complex project was made possible through the technical expertise of Vigor’s workforce and its long-standing partnership with WSF.

WSF has officially taken delivery of the vessel, which is now undergoing final checks before rejoining regular passenger service.

Once fully operational and connected to shore-based charging systems, the Wenatchee, along with sister ferries Tacoma and Puyallup, is expected to reduce WSF’s annual diesel consumption by over 4.7 million gallons.

This change is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the vessels by about 95%. The Wenatchee’s conversion is part of WSF’s long-term plan to modernise six ferries and build 16 new hybrid-electric ones by 2040.

Reference: Vigor

Source: Maritime Shipping News